A gay Texas man was stabbed, beaten, and thrown on a burning fire at a party in Reno, Texas, by assailants he knew, because he was gay. 26-year old Burke Burnett, who required 30 stitches, says the four men yelled “pussy-ass faggot,” “gay bitch” and “cock-sucking punk,” knew him and that he was gay, and believes they were trying to kill him. The comment, “These faggots don’t deserve to be here. Somebody needs to get them out of there,” was also made at the party, though it’s unclear by whom. None of the 20 party-goers bothered to help Burnett as he was violently assaulted, though one drove him to the hospital after the crime.

Jeff Sugg, interim chief of the Reno Police Department, released a statement Monday afternoon saying: “The Reno Police Department is currently investigating an aggravated assault that took place last weekend. The investigation is ongoing and additional information will be provided when available.”

Reno police officials declined to further discuss their investigation.

Burnett said the officer investigating the case told him the attack will be classified as a hate crime. But Burnett said his attackers, whose identities are known, remain at large, and the officer told him it could be two weeks before they’re arrested.

“I’m scared for my life,” Burnett said, adding that he’s staying with a family friend. “I’m scared to go home. These guys have nothing to lose.”

Burnett said he grew up in Paris and came out as gay when he was 15. He knows at least one of his attackers personally. Two of the suspects have been to prison and may be on parole, he said.

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Burnett said he was sitting inside a large metal shed called “the party shop” when he was blindsided with a punch to his left eye. When he got up and tried to defend himself, one of his attackers stabbed him in the back with a broken beer bottle. Burnett called the stab wound “a kill shot” but said fortunately it didn’t puncture his lung.

One of the suspects stabbed him a second time in the right forearm — cutting into the muscle but missing an artery — before he was thrown onto a lit burn barrel.

A friend of mine throws a Halloween party behind their house backed up against the woods in rural Texas just a 1/2 hour from Ft Worth. There's hot dogs, burgers & beer every flowing, dueling bonfires on either side of the house. Adults dressed up in costume and generally a good time had by all. I have known most of these folks for 30+ years and even then they talked about me being gay, but not to me. I used to feel safe to attend, however I can see this same thing happening to me if someone I don't know is there and feels threatened by my presence "suspecting" I'm gay. Alcohol & Biblical teachings sometimes create fear when none is justified. With the stories of late, that FIRE seems to be the relative in each doesn't afford me the same comfort level, I no longer attend. I'm not saying everyone is this hatefully angry at gay people for existing, but there are those that I would believe could certainly kill without thought to protect their beliefs in God.